Heavy Metal

Cyber Punk lives on!

 You know most of the cartoon films have been for ages segregated to kids audiences, and although cartoon/animated flicks do make it to become blockbusters, most of them age as you do, so you just don't want to revisit your Disney classics no more. However, there was another cartoon/animated growing industry that had its target audience set on adults only. Several examples were made during the 70's, but It was in the early 80's where the adult animation industry would become the real thing. Heavy Metal, is the real thing.

This film was actually started in 1978, and finally released in 1981. It is based on the adult fantasy sci-fi America version magazine "Heavy Metal". The actual origin of the magazine is French, very adult, very graphic, very sci-fi, lots of nudity accompanied with excellent and compelling storytelling. The key phrase is "Adult, Fantasy, Illustrated". Just because its a 'cartoon', does not mean its for kids, or do you still think Southpark it's kid stuff? I don't.

Looking at the Animation now in 2002, its dated. In the mid-80's Japanese Anime has set and kept raising the bar on this kind of adult anime genre. This early mainstream American attempt was good, for it had a good model, the magazine, Heavy Metal.

Cyber Punk patterns are everywhere in this movie.

70's Sci-Fi and japanese animation are to blame for the Cyber Punk genre's origin.

If Heavy Metal had waited to be produced until now, with all the advancements on technology, animation, graphics, art we have at our disposal, I only wish that the popular artists and storytellers of the magazine Heavy Metal were involved. It would be a different film indeed, and it would get an NC-17 rating. The only pieces that were trademarks of the Heavy Metal magazine were "Soft Landing"/"Grimaldi" "Den" and "Taarna".

More specifically, "Taarna" WAS exactly what the American Heavy Metal Magazine was all about and uncredited was Jean Giraud who has done a hell of a lot of work in the magazines history....both American and French versions is the cause for that. You may know his work by his other more famous name, "Moebius".

If you ask me, the film could have gone one of two ways: just like the magazine story by story without the silly connector of the green orb, or with just the one story of "Taarna". Back in 1978-1981, I would assume the Studio Executives could not venture into that manner without getting squeamish about box office so what we have is a tip-toe cross blend between the two. On one level it works, on another it does not. Its a viewers decision.

Taarna, the sexiest animated warrior woman of all times.

Taarna's white bush. Original animation cell.

Kill me!

I like this 1981 version of the movie Heavy Metal, although a few stories didn't live up to the level of the magazine content..or were not presented as such. "Neverwhereland" should have NEVER been cut, I would have taken it over "Captain Stern" any day. "Neverwhereland" seemed to be along the lines of the magazines' content, too bad it wasn't included. "Harry Canyon" I could have taken or left, made no difference.

Additionally, I JUST loved "Den" and "B-17". I loved the soundtrack, for Metal is America. But just like the magazine, it was adult, it was fantasy, violent at points and contained nudity. It was early "R" Adult Animation American Style. (I know...Fritz the Cat was an "X" rated Animation that instead of using humans, used felines. Besides, Fritz was Ralph Bakshi's ticket outa Disney Animation and Robert Crumb is the 70's counter culture!)

So, what made Heavy Metal a defining moment in the cyber punk animation genre?

Taarna, it was Taarna. This was the first animated woman in an American made mainstream animated adult feature film that the world needed, that the world depended upon, that was tough, that was independent, not a size four but voluptous, and was still very sexy. Yesterday's female characters were all like Snow White, you know, weak, powerless and submissive. Heavy Metal changed that for good.

Taarna, a tough lady.

These aren't the droids you're...what???

Don't eat me mean green bublegum!

Taarna flesh & bone tribute. It lacks the gray bush though.

When I read a few stories in the adult magazines Heavy Metal from the late 70's to the early 90's, both American and French versions, the women in the majority of the stories, although drawn by European men and set in uncertain futures, wear...and in many cases...don't wear at all... and involved in explicit sexual situations..the women WERE the heroes!!

All in all, keep in mind Heavy Metal was made for an adult audience, just like the magazine. It's not just for the teenaged guys, its not just for the stoned and metal heads, its not just for the trekies or x-filers. It's a good effort for its time but if you're expectting work like in late 80s/90's Japanese Anime like "Katsuhiro Ôtomo's Akira", etc., or 2001's "Taro Rin's Metropolis" remember its 1981, and American, and NOT quite like its name sake Magazines, but its still good. 

Here's the movie trailer:

 and the Heavy Metal song: